1. I don’t do cutesy forwards. If you send me one, we are not friends. Irreconcilable differences.

2. I watch DVD commentaries.

3. I’m a dog person. I’ve had cats. Cats tolerate you conditionally and contribute nothing. My dogs never stop telling me how awesome I am, they are fiercely protective of me and their tiny piece of land, and they could herd cattle if they wanted.

4. I hate green beans. I tried to like them, but I’ve accepted the hatred and moved on. No, I don’t want to try your casserole.

5. I always rinse a glass before using it. I swear it’s not a phobia. I just don’t like that musty smell a glass can have.

6. I’ve peed my pants twice since I was 18. Both times from laughing.

7. I also sometimes snort when I laugh.

8. Flying cockroaches make me run like a girl.

9. My longest run was 10 miles. I was training to run a marathon. (Obviously I didn’t make it that far.)

10. My biggest fear is drowning. I always imagine the worst when driving through underwater tunnels.

11. I always wanted to go to a real camp.  Being the daughter and granddaughter of pastors, I got sent to church camp instead.

12. Strangers tell me too much.

13. My dad says my mom misspelled my real name on the birth certificate. She says she wanted to honor her favorite grandmother. I don’t know who to believe.  Update:  Mom forgot her story.  Dad speaks the truth.

14. I can juggle, and that’s the only useful thing to ever come from 8th grade girls P.E. (We also line danced and played shuffleboard.)

15. I bit my nails for years even though I was afraid of accidentally swallowing a piece of nail and having it pierce my organs, causing me to die from internal bleeding. (Thanks, Dad.)

16. My randomly assigned college roommates turned out to be my best friends.

17. I can’t stand it when people play with their gum.  With their fingers.  Seriously.  Keep it in your mouth.  And enough with the snapping.

18. I am an Aries.

19. I can curl my tongue.

20. I like to look things up that I don’t know. In middle school I went though a period where I checked out a how-to book every week: shorthand, drawing, sign language, aviary-building, car repair, etc. A week isn’t long enough for me to master anything. I’m an expert of nothing.

21. I’m not in denial about being a nerd.

22. My worst habit is interrupting people. I don’t purposely try to be rude, but – seriously – get to the point already.

23. My first car was a Geo Metro. The first time I picked up my brother and his friends from football practice, I kept pulling over because I thought I had a flat. It was just the several extra hundred pounds of unbalanced weight. Later, when I actually did have a flat, they just picked it up instead of using a jack.

24. I dream about zombies.

25. If I’m flipping channels and see that Walker’s on, I always stop to watch the next fight. And yes – I can sing the theme song.

26. An awkward or absurd moment never fails to make me smile.

27. I don’t handle people who live ungrateful lives very well.

28.  Chocolate is something I could eat every day.  (Dark chocolate is the only chocolate worth eating.)

29.  I generally dislike tattoos.

30. I believe that solitude is a necessary part of life.

31.  I grew up without any extended family nearby.  In my case, it probably turned out for the best, but I want my own kids to have their grandparents, aunts/uncles, and cousins close by.

32.  I hate flip-flops.

33.  I prefer knitting with circular needles.

34.  I don’t sing well, but I sing like I think I do.

35.  I almost never hear my phone, but I check it often enough that I get back to people quickly.

36.  If you don’t leave me a message, I assume it wasn’t important.

37.  I like making lists.

38.  It takes me a long time to trust others enough to let them really get to know me.

39.  I don’t think I’ll ever buy a new car.  Unless the math works out due to nice rebates and 0% interest loans.

40.  I hate 12-hour shifts, but I like the extra days off.

41.  I park in the same place at work so I don’t forget where I parked.  There has been an embarrassing moment in my life involving parking.

42.  Anytime I’m in a huge parking lot or garage, I take a picture of the location signs.  Just in case.

43.  I try to never say never.

44.  My family moved back to the U.S. when I was four.  English is actually my second language.  The first was Spanish, though now I’m much more comfortable in English.

44.  I have a slight lisp.  I was in speech therapy from 1st grade to 2nd grade.  I finally made my parents take me out because I kept missing all the fun stuff due to therapy: class movies, games, recess, etc.  When I pay attention, it’s ok.  When I’m nervous or talking too fast, it’s ridiculous.

45.  I believe you can be happy with many people, but that there is one person out there who is the best for you.

46.  People always think I weigh significantly less than I actually do.  The last guess was 115 pounds.  I haven’t weighed that since middle school.

47.  I am no longer afraid of failure. I think.

48.  I’m not bothered by blood or poop, but I can’t stand vomit.  I will hold the bucket if necessary, just don’t get offended if I start retching along with you.

49.  I have no tattoos or interesting piercings to speak of.

50.  Curvy and overweight are not the same thing, fashion magazines!

51.  Another peeve of mine: Colombia is the country.  Columbia is the university/capitol (D.C.).

52.  I sleep with two pillows: one for my head and one next to me.

53.  I refuse to put a TV in my bedroom.

54.  I love puns.

55.  I love waking up to a thunderstorm. And then going back to sleep.

56.   I will judge your limp handshake.

57.  I believe in living beneath my means.

58.  I suffer from brain dump.  As soon as I don’t need to know any particular piece of information, away it goes to both the amusement and annoyance of those around me.

59.  I don’t go to bars or clubs often because I’m never completely comfortable there.  They usually seem falsely cheerful, and that makes me sad.

60.  I hate most perfumes.

61.  My greatest regret is living passively out of fear.

62.  Loneliness is one of the lowest depths of misery.

63.  I’ve never known a Lori that I’ve liked. (To be fair, I’ve only known two.)

64.  Fall is my favorite season followed closely by spring.

65.  I’ve never been really drunk.

66.  Losing control of myself scares me.

67.  Thanks to DVR, I don’t watch live TV anymore.  Goodbye, commercials!  I finally got rid of cable.

68.  I’ve never been in love.  :)

69.  Lactose and I do not get along, but I refuse to give up cheese and the occasional ice cream.  I don’t drink milk anymore; it always smells rotten to me.

70.  I like to dance,but I don’t want to see any actual video footage.  Ever.

71.  I always smile at security cameras. Sometimes I even wave.

72.  I shower in the morning.

73.  I used to label my to-do list by day, but I quit doing that because it was depressing to see Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday…  over the same list.  Now I just write To-Do.  No guilt.

74.  I’m a procrastinator.

75.  I’ve always wanted to be a hat person, but I’m cursed with a big head and big hair.

76.  If I were to have any plastic surgery, it would be rhinoplasty.  I tell myself that my nose gives me character.

77.  My favorite pie is cherry and rhubarb.

78.  I’m right-handed.

79.  I don’t think I’d change my name if I married.

80.  I’m practically blind without my contacts/glasses.  As in, I am nose-to-mirror in the bathroom to see well enough to put on make-up.

81.  I have a history of forgetfulness.

82.  I believe in giving “real” hugs.

83.  One of my best qualities is knowing when not to say what I’m thinking.

84.  I say “ridiculous” way too much, followed only by  “definitely” and “seriously?”.

85.  My family is dysfunctional on so many levels, but we always love each other.  Sometimes we even like each other.

86.  My favorite place to read is in bed.

87.  People who can’t remember my name usually try to call me Alexandra or Gabriella.

88.  I’m strongly affected by light.

89.  I’ve never been in a real fight.

90.  I have broken a car’s overhead light with my brother’s head.  He totally deserved it.

91.  I was in the middle of applying to a CIA program when I received news of a full scholarship.  I took the scholarship.  I still wonder.

92.  I drool when I sleep.  Once I was dreaming about cookies when I woke up.  That was disgusting.

93.  I hate the sound of feet rubbing together.

94.  I have naturally curly hair, and I don’t like how I look with it straightened.

95.  I often remind strangers of someone else.

96.  I don’t usually carry much cash.

97.  I’m not easily charmed.

98.  I can listen to the same song over and over and over again.  Out of respect for my fellow mankind, I do so only when I’m alone.

99.  I don’t wear clothes that have brand names on display. They can stay on the label until they pay me to advertise.

100. I’ll sit on a public toilet, but I use my foot to flush.

101.  I’m that person who doesn’t want to hear any Christmas music until the week of Christmas.

102.  Smoking is a deal breaker for me.

103.  I do not cry pretty.

104.  I’ve never fired a gun before.  I’ve gone to a gun range once.  I liked it.

105.  I buy myself flowers at least once a month.

106.  I’m not a morning person.

107.  I’ve been a bridesmaid twice – maid of honor once.

108.  I love the sound of my dogs snoring.

109.  I love the sound of my dogs howling.  (They don’t do it often, and I stop them before too long.  Gotta keep the neighbors happy.)

110.  I won’t answer every question, but the answers I do give will be true.

111.  My dream house would have secret passages.

112.  I sleep on the right side of my bed.

113.  Roses are pretty, but I won’t plant anything in my yard that has thorns.  Self-preservation.

114.  I love meteor showers.

115.  I don’t like using emoticons, but sometimes they are necessary to make sure my sarcasm isn’t misunderstood.

116.  No one from my real life knows about this blog… I think.

117.  I’m never early.

118.  I’m not usually late.

119.  My hair is the first thing I wash in the shower.

120.  I frequently take on projects that are too big for me and realize it too late.

121.  I’m often quiet (not to be confused with arrogant or uninterested) until I get to know you.

122.  I’m named in my brother and sister-in-law’s will as the legal guardian of their babies – furry and not.

123.  I hate that pink bubblegum smell. And unnecessary quotation marks – air or written.

124.  I’m very clumsy in that I’m always dropping things, but thanks to #14 I have a high catch rate.

125.   The closest thing I have to a “Celebrities I Have Met” list is:  Mario Andretti, Jeb Bush, Edgar Winter, and somebody who appeared on a episode of  Extreme Makeover Home Edition.  It’s quite the amazing life I lead.

126.  I have zero tolerance for self-inflicted drama.

127.  I am the oldest child.

128.  Being single is

not a problem until I get the urge to cuddle.  My dog can only do so much.

129.  I refuse to be that woman who lies about her age.

130. My memoir would be titled Strong Fire Burn.

131.  I prefer the window seat.

132.  I don’t typically use exclamation points when e-mailing,writing, or texting.  If you see them in a message from me, it’s because I think that you do.

133.  I love giving unique, thoughtful gifts.

134.  I smuggled a turtle through international airport security when I was eight years old.

135. I want Norah Jones to sing at my wedding.

136.  If you ask me if I smell something, I don’t.

137.  The tip of my right ring finger is slightly crooked from a basketball accident.

138.  I don’t like tartar sauce.

139. My blood type is O positive.  I’m a giver.

140. I shiver uncontrollably when I’m completely exhausted.  Everything is also very beautiful or very funny.  Either way I end up crying.

141.  White lights.  Forever and ever.  Amen.

142.  I do 98% of my daily cursing between 5:30 (when my alarm goes off) and 6:00am (when I can’t hit snooze any longer). The other 2% is reserved for the road.

143.  My favorite superhero is Jason Statham.

144.  My name is always at the top of contact lists, so I get butt-dialed a lot.  I always listen a bit to the soundtrack of someone’s life.  (I do hang up if it sounds personal.)

145.  When it comes to “one size fits most” hats, I am not most.

146.  I don’t mind the cart with the squeaky wheel.

147.  I’m rational about my emotions.

148.  Starting this blog has been one of the best things I’ve ever done.